


A Hero’s Silver Linings

by Kcolrehssemloh



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Avengers - Freeform, Captain America - Freeform, F/M, Gen, SHIELD, life - Freeform, unfrozen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-08
Updated: 2014-07-08
Packaged: 2018-02-08 01:51:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1922226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kcolrehssemloh/pseuds/Kcolrehssemloh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After nearly 70 years Steve Rogers has awoken in New York City. Will his life be turned upside down or will he be able to adjust to the changing times and the new ways of society.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Hero’s Silver Linings

 

_"The Philly’s have managed to tie it up 4 to 4 but the Dodger’s have three men on…"_

Steve Rogers awakens slowly and sits on the side of the bed. In the background a baseball game is playing on the radio and car horns sound off outside. Steve looks to his right slowly back towards the radio.

_"Three runs will score…"_

He looks confused and a little panicked as he listens further to the transmission. A woman opens the door and Steve looks to her quickly, she’s wearing a waist high brown skirt with an ivory blouse, it’s clearly a uniform.  
  
"Morning," she says and closes the door behind her, "Or should I say afternoon." She stops just at the end of the bed and clasps her hands together.   
  
"Where am I?" Steve questioned.   
  
"You’re in a recovery room in New York City." She responds softly, Steve listens again to the radio transmission and turns to look at it once more. Cutting his eyes back up to the woman he looks briefly before saying anything.  
  
"Where am I really?" He asked, again.   
  
"I’m afraid I don’t understand." She laughs.  
  
"The game, it’s from May 1941, I know because I was there." Steve slowly stands up beside the bed, still studying the woman closely. "So I’m going to ask you again," walking to her, "Where am I?"  
  
"Captain Rogers…" she tries to gain control of the situation once again as men dressed in black suits and caps come into the room. Steve looks panicked and bursts through the wall into a large empty room and flees through a door close by.   
  
 _"All Agents, Code 13!"_

The woman says over the intercom as Steven finds himself in a modern hallway with glass windows and tall ceilings. He looks to right as agents run after him, he bolts to his left then out to the busy streets of New York. Dashing up between traffic he runs to Times Square and is quickly surrounded by black SUV’s.  
  
"At ease, soldier! Look, I’m sorry about that little show back there, but we thought it best to break it to you slowly."

Nick Fury stepped out of one of the vehicles. Steve breathes heavily while looking around, taking everything in. Huge monitors and signs fill the walls of the buildings and taxi’s and cars move through the busy streets and intersections. The monitors flash news and advertisements and people carry on with normal life except for looking on at the scene unfolding in front of them.    
  
"Will you be okay?"   
  
"Yeah. Yeah, I’ll be fine."

  
"We will need to take you back to Headquarters to monitor and fill you in on all that you’ve missed." An agent takes Captain Rogers by the arm and guides him towards one of the SUV’s but Steve steps away and walks towards the car on his own.   
  
The car pulls off back towards S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters, arriving a short time later.   
  
Once settled and checked over by the medical team, Nick Fury comes in and sits across from the bed.   
  
"Captain Rogers, a lot has changed in the years you were frozen, as I’m sure you can see. To help you adjust in today’s society I’ve assigned Agent (Y/L/N) to be your assistant." Fury looks towards the door at his left as you walk in. Dressed in a black blazer with a blouse and matching skirt and heels you smile a little crooked smile as you look to Captain Rogers who is laid in bed. Steve’s sandy blonde hair is still tidy and well groomed, his deep blue eyes are clear and alert.   
  
"Captain Rogers, It’s a pleasure to meet you." You walk towards him to shake his hand.   
  
"Hello ma’am." He reaches out to take your hand in a soft grasp and shakes once.   
  
"I trust you two will get along just fine. Agent (Y/L/N) is one of our finest agents here and she will show you around, get you up to date on things. I’ll check back in a few days." Fury gets up and exits the room leaving you and Steve alone to chat.   
  
"So, Captain Rogers, I imagine you have some questions." You take the seat where Fury had been sitting, you sit tall and cross your legs, resting your hands over your knee.   
  
"Yes ma’am, for starters would you mind telling me what year this is?" Steve pushes himself up in bed to sit up a bit more.   
  
"It’s 2011" you smile.   
  
"2011? Oh?" Steve furrows his brows, taking this new information in and processing it.    
  
"Yes. Things have developed quite a bit since you crashed." You nodded and pulled out your iPhone. "Cell phones have been developed and have come quite a long ways." You chuckle and get up to walk to his bedside once again and show the phone to him. "Go on, you can hold it." You hold it out to him. Taking it in his hand he looks at it briefly and hands it back.   
  
"You can make calls on it then? Like a radio?" He tries to understand.  
  
"Yes very similar. It’s just like a telephone but it runs with cell towers and it is mobile." You smile again brightly. You and Steve spend the next several days getting to know each other and the world while he remains under observations.   
  
A week later it was time for him to be released and get back into the world. 

  
"Good morning Captain. Ready to see your new place?" You say cheerfully.   
  
"Yes ma’am, I’m ready to get out of this bed and out if this room."

You both chuckle lightly.  Helping him out of the bed and gathering a few things for him to look over about the modern day S.H.I.E.L.D.   
  
Sitting in the back of the black SUV you hand Steve the papers to read. Most of the time it would be done on a tablet but you need to teach him how to use modern day technology first and currently it was important he knew as much about S.H.I.E.L.D. as possible.   
  
"We’ve gotten a small apartment for you to stay in, it isn’t much but it’s a roof over your head and a place to call home. I live in the same building so I’m nearby if you ever need anything." You run through basics of the city and show him where things are in case he’d like to go out to explore. Steve looks out of the windows at the passing cars and buildings, many new things and so much to learn.   
  
Pulling up to a tall brown brick building you hop out and Steve gets out behind you, looking up at the old warehouse windows.  The warehouse had been converted into apartments and lofts but it kept its character.  
                                                                              
"It isn’t much but this is home."

You look up at the five story brown brick building before heading to the door. Steve walks by your side and holds the door open for you like a gentleman. “Thank you.”  
  
"You’re welcome ma’am."

He walks in behind you and follows you to the stairs. Climbing three stories up you open the first door on the right marked “3A” and step inside.   
  
"So, we already stocked your fridge and pantry. Got some furniture to fill out the place. Oh yes, my apartment is just above yours 4A. I guess I should let you read. I’ve taken the liberty to gather some papers for you to read to fill in the gap. I figured you’d like to know the things that have happened over the years. Please get me if you need anything at all." You stand by the door, still in work mode as you speak. You remain proper while working but smile softly and look around the room, starting to relax a bit.   
  
"Thank you ma’am."

Steve walks over to the couch and sits down, taking the paper that was on top of the stack. You show yourself out and head upstairs.   
******  
Later that evening your phone dings, alerting you of a text. Walking to the counter and picking your phone up to check the message you laughed a little. Steve text you but it was in all caps lock.  
  
Steve Rogers:  _'WHERE IS THE NEAREST GYM? CAN YOU COME WITH ME MISS (Y/N)?'_  
  
You had to laugh and then replied as you kept a smirk on your face.   
  
You:  _'I'll be right down.'_  
  
You hit send, sighing and groaning a little. Yoga pants and a tank top are enemies for your self confidence. Sighing once again you head down a short hall to change into some gym clothes before going downstairs and knocking on Steve’s door.   
  
"Caps lock…"

You laugh and take the phone from his hand to show him how to turn it off.

"There, all better. Now, you ready?"   
  
"Sorry ma’am, yes I’m ready."  
********  
  
Walking into the open gym it looks worn and old but was still in use today, it was quiet tonight and just the two of you were working out. Steve gets to punching the heavy bag forcefully to release his pent up anger and stress. He lines up a row of extra bags so that when one breaks he can replace it. He hooks right then left, going hard at it as you look on, slightly confused yet slightly aroused. It was when you turn to look at the doorway you find Nick Fury standing there, watching Steve punch the bag one last time before it flew from its chain and sand piled on the floor.  
  
"Trouble sleeping?" Nick asked as he walks towards you and Steve.  
  
"I’ve been asleep for 70 years. I think I’ve had enough rest."

Steve replies. You keep on working out while the two talk and only picked up on a few bits of the conversation. 

  
"What was that about then?"

  
"New mission."   
  
"Oh?" You reply curious as to what it might be but Steve didn’t respond so you left the subject and the ride home is a quiet one.   
*******  
Later that night Steve had gone to bed, he tossed and turned while sleeping.

"I have to land it in the water…"

Steve tossed to his left then back to his back again, his head turning quickly. Suddenly sitting straight up in bed he breathes heavily and looks around the dark room assessing his surroundings, he is drenched in a cold sweat. Reaching to the small bedside table he flips the switch on the lamp to illuminate the tiny bedroom. It is apparent his memories will haunt him as long as he remains quiet and still. They will creep into his mind late at night while he sleeps or will pop up during the day while sitting around and reading. He needs to take the mission Fury had mentioned, needs to get back out in the world, but first, he needs to see someone.

****

You are awaken by a knock at your door around 6:00am, groaning and looking over to your alarm clock you throw the covers over your head and try to get back to sleep. Drifting back off to sleep you are awoken again by more knocks at your door.

"Go away…" you growl. The knocking continues so you drag yourself from bed and put your robe on over your pink duck pajamas. Shuffling along the wooden floors in your mismatched slippers, you make your way to the door. "Who is it?" you ask groggily and yawn.

"I’m sorry Miss (Y/L/N), I needed to ask you something and it is urgent." It was Steve that stood by the door as you open it slowly and rub your eyes. His eyes open a little wider when he sees the pink ducks on your pajamas and smiles, in an attempt to hold back a little laugh that is threatening to escape. He clears his throat and regains his composure.

"Captain Rogers you could have called."

You open the door and walk towards the kitchen, letting Steve come in and shut the door behind himself.

"I need to know if Agent Peggy Carter is still alive."

Steve walks to the breakfast bar and takes a seat while you prepare some coffee for the both of you. His eyes are bloodshot and he looks exhausted.

"You mean to tell me you woke me up just to ask about a Agent Carter? Why is it important to know this information right now? It’s six o’clock in the morning and you must know right now."

Looking at him with an annoyed sigh and a roll of your eyes, your hair in a messy bun with flyaway’s everywhere.

"Just tell me, do you know if she is still alive?"

Steve urges you to tell him, you pour two cups of coffee and place one of the cups in front of him on the counter. “I’m very sorry, I just need to know.”

"I don’t know Captain Rogers, I’ll have to look." You take a sip of your coffee and notice Steve looked rather tired and frazzled. "Captain?" Steve looks up to you then looks back to his cup quickly.

"Hmm?" Humming, he is obviously deep in thought.

"Are you alright?"  You furrow your brow and narrow your eyes. You can tell something was truly bothering him and you can’t stand seeing people like this and not knowing how to help them immediately.

"What? Oh yeah. I just. It was a rough night."

Taking a sip from his cup, holding it between his hands and staring into it. Steve looks dazed, almost as if he isn’t there completely, his mind focused on other things. Walking around to the coffee table to grab your laptop you return to the breakfast bar and take a seat by Steve. You rub his back for a second. You sit your cup beside you and open your laptop to the S.H.I.E.L.D. database to look at Peggy Carter’s records.  

"Ah, here we go."

You find her records pretty quickly as you type her name in. “It looks like she is in a nursing home in Queens.” Steve looks on at her file, he looks relieved to see she is still alive. A little smile spreads across his face and he hops up right away.

"Thank you Agent (Y/L/N), thank you so much."

Like that he is gone out the door and has left you standing in a confused state. You raise one eyebrow and cock your head to the left before shaking it and closing the door and heading back to bed.

****

Steve rushes down the stairs and out to the street to hail a taxi. Grabbing one right away he sits in the back seat.

"Queens Elderly Care Center, please, as quick as possible."

The taxi pulls out into the heavy morning traffic and heads towards Queens. Steve looks out the window as they pass by taxies and people as they walk to work, he looks up at the skyscrapers that are higher than he’d ever seen before. As they pass by an alley outside a theater he chuckles a little. The driver looks up in the rearview mirror and Steve begins to talk.

"I was beat up in that alley once."

"You?! Who would beat you up, pal?"

The driver looks kind of stunned at this comment. Steve is a big man, well built and muscular, not someone you’d think of getting bullied.

"Yeah, me. I wasn’t always this big." Steve smirked and looks back out of the window. For the first time since waking up he has a little glimmer of hope in his eyes. He is on his way to see Peggy Carter, the woman he thought he would never see again. Memories from the crash flash quickly through his head.

_" There’s not gonna be a safe landing, but I can try and force it down."_

_"I’ll-I’ll get Howard on the line. He’ll know what to do."_

Peggy’s voice fills his head.

_"There’s not enough time. This thing’s moving too fast and it’s heading for New York. I gotta put her in the water."_

_"Please don’t do this. W-we have time. We can work it out."_

Her pleads haunt him.

_"Right now I’m in the middle of nowhere. If I wait any longer a lot of people are gonna die. Peggy, this is my choice."_

Shaking his head he snapped out of it and they were approaching Queens now, getting closer to seeing Peggy and closer to seeing if she would remember him after close to 70 years.

The taxi came to a halt out front of the nursing home.

"Here you are pal."

"Thank you sir."

Steve pays the cabbie and gets out, looking to the old building before stepping away and closing the taxi door behind him and walking towards the doors.

"How can I help you sir?"

The plump woman that sits behind the desk in the lobby asks Steve as he walks in.

"I’m here to see Peggy Carter. I’m an old friend."

Steve walks to the desk, quickly, he has waited nearly 70 years to see her again and can’t wait another moment. The woman types on her computer to find her information and it pops up soon.

"She’s in room 206. You can head on up."

The receptionist points to the stairs down the hall with a smile.

"Thank you ma’am!" Steve takes off at a run towards the stairs and climbs them two by two getting to the second floor quickly. He starts looking left and right to find room 206 on the right just up the hall. He sprints to the room and stops, he takes a deep breath in and opens the door slowly. The first thing to come into his view is Peggy laying in bed, she turns her head to see who is coming in and her eyes light up.

"Steve…" She spoke, her voice sounds weaker since the last time he had seen her.

"You saved the world…we mucked it up." She smiles and Steve walks to her bedside. He took a seat on the edge of it then took her hand in his.

"I’m sorry I missed our date." Steve smiles at first but then looks down at his hands, a small frown appearing now on his face.

"We looked for you, they looked for you. I’m sorry we didn’t find you sooner." Peggy squeezes his hand gently, causing Steve to look back up to her.

The pair chatted for over an hour about her life and what has changed in the world, what happened with the war and the wars that followed. They were catching up on old times and laughing until his phone buzzed off and cut things short.

"How do people use these things." Steven pulls the phone from his pocket, hits answer and put it to his ear.

"Captain Rogers, Director Fury would like you to come to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters to discuss some important business." You call Steve after receiving the orders from Fury.

"I’ll be right down." Steve sighs a little and hangs the phone up stuffing it back into his pocket. Looking back up to Peggy he purses his lips and sighs once more. "I’m sorry, Peggy. I am needed at headquarters though. I wish I could stay here and chat forever, I really do. I’ll get back as often as I can, okay?"

"I understand, you have to be off to save the world again." She smirked, a little twinkle in her eyes.

"Don’t muck it up this time." Steve chuckles lightly, a tear forming in the corner of his eye as he holds her hand gently.

"We’ll try our best. Come and see me again, we still have to have that dance."

"I wouldn’t miss it for the world, after I save it of course."

Steve leans down and hugs Peggy, kissing her temple and clearing his throat to stop the tears that threatened to spill on his cheeks at any moment.

Straightening himself out he walks to the door and looked back once more.

"I won’t be as long this time, I promise." Steve said before opening and walking out the door.

*****

"Captain Rogers, thank you for coming in to have a talk. Have a seat."

Nick Fury walks into the office on the 8th floor, glass fills two walls of the office and lets tons of light in. Steve takes a seat across from the desk and Fury takes the seat behind it. “Cap, we need to know if you know anything at all about HYDRA. We’ve dissolved HYDRA and Stark Industries studied their advanced technology. The Tesseract, do you know about it? Anything at all?” Fury leans forward and rests his elbows on the desk.

"Well you know it is almost an infinite source of power because you told me the other night. HYDRA used it to create powerful weapons, I’m sure you all have figured that out as well. When I flying the plane, Schmidt touched the cube and disintegrated into light. You were better off leaving it in the ocean sir." Steve leans back into his chair with a grave look on his face. "It is very important we get the Tesseract back from Loki and his team."

Nick Fury went on to explain more about S.H.I.E.L.D and the events surrounding the theft of the Tesseract and the Avengers initiative along with the mission to retrieve the cube from Loki.

****

It was the night before Steve was due to leave for the mission when you hear a knocking at your door. It’s 6 o’clock and you are just starting to fix dinner.

"Captain Rogers, how can I help you?" You open the door with a smile. You are still in your work outfit and heels.

"I was hoping you’d go out with me tonight. Dinner perhaps? A little going away gathering. I missed my date 70 years ago, I didn’t get to properly say goodbye, I’d like to change that this time." Steve looks a little nervous but kept eye contact and smiled a bit.

"I’d like that. Let me just grab my purse and change my outfit, please come in…" You leave the door open and head to your room to grab your purse and slip on a black skirt and red blouse before you head back out to the living room and out the door with Steve. "Don’t talk like you won’t be coming back this time. The Avengers are strong, weapons have been improved greatly and S.H.I.E.L.D will be right with you all. Besides, you are Captain America, you’ve saved the world before, you’ll do it again." You smile up to him, making Steve blush slightly as you both walk down the stairs and out of the building.

******

"It is two of us." Steve stands next to the podium at the front of the small restaurant and spoke to the hostess. Always the gentleman Steve takes your arm in his. Looking at your arms linked together you smile a little bit and glance up to his eyes quickly before blushing and averting your gaze before he notices.

"Right this way." The hostess smiles and heads towards a table, the both of you follow behind. She sat the menus down "Enjoy." she said and heads back to the front. Steve pulls your chair out for you before you had the chance.

"Here you are ma’am." He smiles and blushes again, a little bashful. You had to giggle a bit at how nervous he seems. This Steve was much different than the Steve you work with, Captain Rogers is brave and confident, but Steve Rogers is shy and unsure of how to proceed with a date.

"Thank you Steve." You said, taking a seat as he pushes the chair forward then took his own seat across from you. "This is your first date isn’t it?" You said over the top of your menu as you look over the choices. He fumbles with his silver and napkin for a moment before picking up his own menu.

"Yes ma’am it is." He looks slightly embarrassed as he looks down over the menu then took a sip of water that the waiter had just sat down.

"Please, call me (Y/N). You can save the ‘ma’am’ for work, tonight we are friends."  You raise your head to look at him with a smile, your bright red lipstick setting off your white teeth.

"You have a beautiful smile." Steve looks to you then turned away blushing.

"Um…so when did you get into S.H.I.E.L.D. and why?" Steve asks after his blush faded.

"I was recruited five years ago, I was in the military for two years prior and S.H.I.E.L.D. members had been keeping an eye on my progress. They approached me one day as I headed to the canteen, it was very quick but the offer was one I couldn’t pass up. The chance to move here to New York and take part in some of the most important operations in the country. A chance to prove myself to my family, they never believed I could do well in the military and now here I am dining with Captain America and working on advanced weaponry."

Steve looks a little surprised as he sits his menu down and looks to your eyes. He was silent for a moment as he thought, a smile graced his face.

"You know, it is only two women that I’ve known to be so tough and amazing at their work. Peggy Carter and …you. You are one of the toughest agents working at S.H.I.E.L.D. and one of the best, it is a great pleasure to work with you."

You smiled brighter now, in this career woman didn’t get as much respect as men so it was nice to hear such a great compliment.

"Ready to order?"

The waiter came alongside the table once again and takes the order.

Dinner is filled with laughs and getting to know each other on a personal basis, keeping work out of the conversation for most part.

After dinner you take Steve to a dance hall just down the road. They always play music from the 30’s and 40’s and you knew Steve would love to have that dance he was promised before he crashed.

"I’m not very good at this." Steve shook his head as you lead him out to the dance floor at a local club, he pulls back gently, not wanting to follow.   
  
"Oh come now, you will be great. Just go with the music." You sway your hips and move around a bit to the music. Steve tries to but it is rather funny looking. "Here let me guide you." You take his hands and move with him, loosening him up a bit. "See, there you are. You are doing great." You speak a little loud over the music until it comes to an end and a slower song starts to play. You let Steve’s hand go and place one hand on his shoulder after placing his hand on your back. Stepping closer to his chest you sway together. Looking into his eyes, both of you smile a little, cheeks turning a little rosy. Steve looks away briefly, he bites the corner of his lips and purses them together, nodding, smiling and looking back to you.  
  
"Thank you." He said kindly.   
  
"For?" You reply.  
  
"For helping me adjust, showing me around and most importantly, giving me that date I missed all those years ago." Steve kisses your forehead lightly and you rest your head on his chest as the two of you continue to sway.

"Thank you." You reply and look up to his deep blue eyes.

He tilts his head a bit and you pull him down to you, pressing a kiss to his lips for a moment before leaning back and blushing bright red.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I want to give a huge thank you to weknowwhatweare-thomas for checking my work and giving me feedback and comments. Thanks for taking the time to do this for me. I also want to thank neb-is-here for lending a big helping hand and supporting me with helpful input and encouraging me each step, you are very very busy and I want to thank you so much! To emilyjanesworld for doing a final revision before I posted this even though she has lots of work she has to be doing. Thanks onebuttscratcher for her awesome cover graphic! Also to thedreamingdinosaur for offering advice! And to my dear friend Snave for pushing me to do this on a deadline and bearing with me through it all. 
> 
> I thank you all so much I do hope you enjoyed!
> 
> http://kcolrehssemloh.tumblr.com/post/91196229854/a-heros-silver-linings-the-phillys-have


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